For too long our area has suffered from poor broadband coverage.

That’s why one of my key missions since becoming the MP of Mid Norfolk has been the improvement of superfast broadband services in our area, and the county as a whole.

Superfast, reliable broadband is essential to life in the 21st century – and with superfast broadband, alongside improved road and rail connections, we can unlock what I have called a ‘Rural Renaissance’ in our area, allowing businesses to set up in our villages and towns and creating new high-skilled jobs and opportunities.

A lot of fantastic progress has been made since 2010 – with superfast broadband coverage in Norfolk now up to 95%, but there is still so much more to do if we are to tackle the most rural parts of our county, including here in Mid Norfolk.

The news earlier this year that the Government is working with Openreach to make ultrafast, ultra-reliable and future-proof available for 227 market towns and villages across the UK (including Attleborough, Besthorpe, Great Ellingham, Dereham, Toftwood, Watton and Wymondham) was further progress – and I welcomed the opportunity at the recent RESTART Festival to explore with industry experts from Norfolk how we can speed up the process of getting full coverage to Norfolk.

Today, I am pleased to hear that additional improvements are on their way also – with thirty-three villages in South Norfolk and Breckland due to receive hyperfast broadband (approximately 20 times faster than the national average). Old Buckenham is one area in our patch that will be included in the works, with New Buckenham and Carbrooke still to be confirmed.

Of course, more still needs to be done and, to that end, I will continue to speak up for rural areas like our own – both locally and in Westminster.

To read more about this latest announcement, please do view the EDP article here

It was a real pleasure to visit Kimblewick Equestrian Centre in North Tuddenham on Friday – to see first-hand the wonderful job that Sarah, Nikita and their fantastic team of staff and volunteers do: caring for the horses and ponies as well as educating young and old on everything about these majestic creatures.

I also appreciated the opportunity to speak with Sarah Dale from the British Horse Society about the challenges facing equestrian centres like Kimblewick – particularly in terms of Business Rates.

Did you know that small equestrian centres like Kimblewick pay more in Business Rates than most large Tesco stores? It’s bonkers!

To learn more, please do watch the videos below:

Sugar Beet plays a key part in our British farming industry, and British Sugar are world leaders in the field:

• Championing modern sustainable farming
• Pioneering world leading plant breeding
• Supplying 50% of the UK’s sugar
• Providing c.9000 jobs

BUT the industry is facing a perfect storm:

• Bans on crop protection
• A poor year of c.50% yields
• Risks of “Free Trade” sugar dumping

That’s why I welcomed the opportunity to visit J E Spratt Farm at Necton on Friday to meet with Farm Manager Kevin Banham and representatives of British Sugar and NFU Sugar to discuss the challenges facing the industry (this year and , and the opportunities post-Brexit.

Let’s #BackBritishFarming and use Brexit as an opportunity to export our high food quality and farming standards around the world.

To learn more, please do watch the video below: